Thermaltake Level 10 Mouse Review

Introduction:

Most of you have heard of the fascinating mouse from Thermaltake with inspiration from the BMW subsidiary DesignworksUSA: the Level 10 M mouse. It's been a big name through the holidays and has shown up on quite a few forum contest threads including here at OCC, and now it's about time we dig into the hype. Let us start with the concept. The Level 10 chassis was a hit among gamers looking for expensive and top performance professional gaming equipment. By taking the success of the Level 10 chassis and moving it to gaming peripherals, the Level 10 M Gaming Mouse was born. It is the first of the Level 10 gaming peripheral product line aimed to extend the Level 10 experience with direct interaction of users. From the start, Thermaltake wanted a design partner standing for the same innovative thinking and revolutionary approach in design and thus partnered with DesignworksUSA, a BMW subsidiary. This partnership is the reason you may have heard it deemed the "BMW" mouse. DesignworksUSA will continue to provide support as the eSports Level 10 product range expands, so be prepared to see more Level 10 peripherals out this year (or maybe at CES?).

With the concepts and business out of the way, we can dive into what we're really here to discuss: the Level 10 M Gaming Mouse itself. It is available in four colors to fit your fancy, and with seven color lighting options you can really make this mouse yours. Following a somewhat minimal styling of the Cyborg RAT mice, the Level 10 M has two adjustment points to set the mouse to you, rather than the other way around. The mouse can move vertically in the rear and also tilt left and right (5 degrees each way). I've never had a RAT or an adjustable mouse, so my experience should be an interesting one. I'm excited to see what all the hype is about, and without further ado, let's get on with the review.

Closer Look:

The box in its entirety expresses high class and expense. It's like an actual BMW itself – you get what you pay for. Hopefully, the quality inside the box is just as good as the box itself, because a lot of work went into designing this packaging. The front sports the mouse on end in almost a glamor pose, as if it were a pretty lady or a sexy man modeling a new outfit. "Level 10 M Gaming Mouse" is written on the box with great emphasis on the M, followed by the bold words "Born to be seen". This phrase is a bit cocky in my opinion, but perhaps they are just words of confidence.

Spinning the box around to the back side you can read about six of the main features of the mouse including ventilation, dynamic coloring, laser sensor, 3D steering, and the aluminum base. Some close up images are in place to represent each feature followed by the true mission statement of the Level 10 Mouse. The sides of the box are used to further tell the story of the mouse and rationalize the design concept.

Pulling away the outer sleeve of the box is like opening a rather expensive gift. The inside has flaps sealed with a sticker as an exclusive package. You really feel like you are opening something special. The sticker is pulled away without damage and the inside reveals a little more. At this point I would usually tell you to keep reading to even get to see the mouse, but I couldn't wait – you get a sneak peek this time.

BAM! Open up the box and the mouse is right in your face. It's held tightly in place with some zip-ties so you'll have to break out the scissors to fully unleash the beast. It reminds me much of Christmas as a kid where all the best toys were bound tightly to their cardboard packaging and having to nag dad to break it free with his knife. Even in the box, the mouse looks pretty hardcore. Now, while I find the scissors to open it up, you can read ahead without me.

There's quite a bit more stuff hiding in the box, visible once the mouse is removed. Inside I found a nice little carry bag, what appears to be an overgrown thumb screw (which is actually the tool to adjust the mouse), and a little quick start guide. The mouse has a nice Velcro tie holding the braided cable together, and the end is capped with a nice rubber-coated USB capped end. The level of "First Class" on the plane has been satisfied with the additional garnishes beyond the tiny cup of coke and warm cookie is the steak and potatoes – the Level 10 M.